The Past and Future of Aesthetics in Mathematics

This paper explores the connotations of mathematical aesthetics and its connections with art,facilitated by collaboration with Ester,an individual with an artistic professional background.It begins by tracing the historical evolution of aesthetics from the classical pursuit of authenticity to the modern shift toward self-expression in art.The discussion then highlights the similarities in the pursuit of truth between mathematics and art,despite their methodological differences.Through an analysis of aesthetic elements in mathematics,such as lines and function graphs,the article illustrates that the beauty of mathematics is not only manifested in cognitive processes but can also be intuitively expressed through visual arts.The paper further examines the influence of mathematics on the development of art,particularly how Leonardo da Vinci applied mathematical principles to his artworks.Additionally,the article addresses art students’perceptions of mathematics,proposes the customization of math courses for art students,and discusses future trends in the integration of mathematics and art,emphasizing the significance of art therapy and the altruistic direction of art.Lastly,the authors use a poster to visually convey the idea that the beauty of mathematics can be experienced through the senses.

Intelligent Intercommunicating Multiscale Engineering: The Engineering of the Future

1.Introduction Despite being widely known and investigated as a computer science discipline,artificial intelligence(AI)has attracted incomparable interest from researchers in diversified areas[1].In 1950,Alan Turing raised the classic question that has inspired numerous researchers to date:“Can machines think?”[2].The ultimate benchmark of AI was set by Turing’s revised“imitation game.”

Transparency:The Missing Link to Boosting AI Transformations in Chemical Engineering

The issue of opacity within data-driven artificial intelligence(AI)algorithms has become an impediment to these algorithms’extensive utilization,especially within sensitive domains concerning health,safety,and high profitability,such as chemical engineering(CE).In order to promote reliable AI utilization in CE,this review discusses the concept of transparency within AI utilizations,which is defined based on both explainable AI(XAI)concepts and key features from within the CE field.This review also highlights the requirements of reliable AI from the aspects of causality(i.e.,the correlations between the predictions and inputs of an AI),explainability(i.e.,the operational rationales of the workflows),and informativeness(i.e.,the mechanistic insights of the investigating systems).Related techniques are evaluated together with state-of-the-art applications to highlight the significance of establishing reliable AI applications in CE.Furthermore,a comprehensive transparency analysis case study is provided as an example to enhance understanding.Overall,this work provides a thorough discussion of this subject matter in a way that—for the first time—is particularly geared toward chemical engineers in order to raise awareness of responsible AI utilization.With this vital missing link,AI is anticipated to serve as a novel and powerful tool that can tremendously aid chemical engineers in solving bottleneck challenges in CE.

Evaluation of the updated definition of early allograft dysfunction in donation after brain death and donation after cardiac death liver allografts

BACKGROUND:An updated definition of early allograft dysfunction(EAD) was recently validated in a multicenter study of 300 deceased donor liver transplant recipients.This analysis did not differentiate between donation after brain death(DBD) and donation after cardiac death(DCD) allograft recipients.METHODS:We reviewed our prospectively entered database for all DBD(n=377) and DCD(n=38) liver transplantations between January 1,2006 and October 30,2011.The incidence of EAD as well as its ability to predict graft failure and survival was compared between DBD and DCD groups.RESULTS:EAD was a valid predictor of both graft and patient survival at six months in DBD allograft recipients,but in DCD allograft recipients there was no significant difference in the rate of graft failure in those with EAD(11.5%) compared with those without EAD(16.7%)(P=0.664) or in the rate of death in recipients with EAD(3.8%) compared with those without EAD(8.3%)(P=0.565).The graft failure rate in the first 6 months in those with international normalized ratio ≥1.6 on day 7 who received a DCD allograft was 37.5% compared with 6.7% for those with international normalized ratio <1.6 on day 7(P=0.022).CONCLUSIONS:The recently validated definition of EAD is a valid predictor of patient and graft survival in recipients of DBD allografts.On initial assessment,it does not appear to be a useful predictor of patient and graft survival in recipients of DCD allografts,however a study with a larger sample size of DCD allografts is needed to confirm these findings.The high ALT/AST levels in most recipients of DCD livers as well as the predisposition to biliary complications and early cholestasis make these parameters as poor predictors of graft failure.An alternative definition of EAD that gives greater weight to the INR on day 7 may be more relevant in this population.

Dystrophic calcification and heterotopic ossification in fibrocartilaginous tissues of the spine in diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis(DISH)

Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis(DISH) is a prevalent noninflammatory spondyloarthropathy characterized by ectopic mineral formation along the anterolateral aspect of the vertebral column, yet little is known about its underlying pathogenesis. Our objective was to evaluate the histopathological features and composition of ectopic mineral within spinal tissues affected by DISH in humans. Thoracic spine segments from six embalmed cadaveric donors(one female and five males;median age 82 years)meeting the radiographic diagnostic criteria for DISH were evaluated using radiological, histological, and physical analyses. Overall,the histological features of ectopic mineralization at individual motion segments were heterogeneous, including regions of heterotopic ossification and dystrophic calcification. Heterotopic ossifications were characterized by woven and lamellar bone,multifocal areas of metaplastic cartilage, and bony bridges along the anterior aspect of the intervertebral disc space. Dystrophic calcifications were characterized by an amorphous appearance, a high content of calcium and phosphorus, an X-ray diffraction pattern matching that of hydroxyapatite, and radiodensities exceeding that of cortical bone. Dystrophic calcifications were found within the anterior longitudinal ligament and annulus fibrosus in motion segments both meeting and not meeting the radiographic criteria for DISH. In summary, our findings indicate that in DISH, ectopic mineral forms along the anterior aspect of the spine by both heterotopic ossification and dystrophic calcification of fibrocartilaginous tissues. Although both types of ectopic mineralization are captured by current radiographic criteria for DISH, dystrophic calcification may reflect a distinct disease process or an early stage in the pathogenesis of DISH.

Metastatic breast cancer to the gastrointestinal tract:A case series and review of the literature

Metastatic breast cancer involving the hepatobiliary tract or ascites secondary to peritoneal carcinomatosis has been well described. Luminal gastrointestinal tract involvement is less common and recognition of the range of possible presentations is important for early and accurate diagnosis and treatment. We report 6 patients with a variety of presentations of metastatic breast cancer of the luminal gastrointestinal tract. These include oropharyngeal and esophageal involvement presenting as dysphagia with one case of pseudoachalasia, a linitis plastica-like picture with gastric narrowing and thickened folds, small bowel obstruction and multiple strictures mimicking Crohn’s disease, and a colonic neoplasm presenting with obstruction. Lobular carcinoma, representing only 10% of breast cancers is more likely to metastasize to the gastrointestinal tract. These patients presented with gastrointestinal manifestations after an average of 9.5 years and as long as 20 years from initial diagnosis of breast cancer. Given the increased survival of breast cancer patients with current therapeutic regimes, more unusual presentations of metastatic disease, including involvement of the gastrointestinal tract can be anticipated.

Developments in the understanding of gas–solid contact efficiency in the circulating fluidized bed riser reactor:A review

In the last several decades, circulating fluidized bed reactors have been studied in many aspects including hydrodynamics, heat and mass transfer and gas–solid two phase contacting. However, despite the abundance of review papers on hydrodynamics, there is no summary paper on gas–solid contact efficiency to date, especially on high density circulating fluidized beds(CFBs). This paper gives an introduction to, and a review of the measurement of contact efficiency in circulating fluidized bed riser. Firstly, the popular testing method of contact efficiency including the method of heating transfer experiment and hot model reaction are discussed, then previous published papers are reviewed based on the discussed methods. Some key results of the experimental work are described and discussed. Gas–solid contact efficiency is affected by the operating conditions as well as the particle size distribution. The result of the contact efficiency shows that the CFB riser is far away from an ideal plug flow reactor due to the characteristics of hydrodynamics in the riser. Lacunae in the available literature have been delineated and recommendations have been made for further work.

Two open metal sites on the same metal: Dynamics of CO_(2) in MOF UTSA-74--Dedicated to Professor Xiuwen Han on the occasion of her 80th birthday

Metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)are an emerging dass of porous materials with many unique properties that make them promising candidates for carbon dioxide(CO_(2))capture and storage.A better understanding of the behavior of CO_(2) adsorbed inside MOF will enable researchers to develop the ability of designing new MOF based materials with high CO_(2) adsorption capabilities.It is well known that presence of open metal sites(OMSs)can greatly enhance the gas adsorption capability of MOFs.MOF UTSA-74,a framework isomer of well-known MOF-74 has a unique feature that upon activation,a single metal ion has two OMSs.Therefore,it presents a unique opportunity to probe the dynamics of CO_(2) molecules adsorbed on these OMSs.In this work,the CO_(2) adsorptive properties of MOF UTSA-74 are examined with particular attention being paid to the dynamics of the CO_(2) adsorbed on these OMSs.Specifically,variable temperature 13C static solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance(SSNMR)experiments were conducted to directly monitor the behavior of BCO_(2) in UTSA-74 at different loadings.All CO_(2) molecules undergo localized wobbling.At low loadings,some CO_(2) molecules jump among three OMSs from three different Zn atoms in the cOsS section of the channel.Others hop back and forth between the two neighboring OMSs.At high loading,the three site jump has ceased,but two-site hopping persists.The dynamical behavior of CO_(2) in UTSA-74 results from the unique Zn coord ination environment It was discovered that CO_(2) is less mobile in UTSA-74 than in its.framework isomer,MOF-74-Zn.

Progress and perspective of single-atom catalysts for membrane electrode assembly of fuel cells

A fuel cell is an energy conversion device that can continuously input fuel and oxidant into the device through an electrochemical reaction to release electrical energy.Although noble metals show good activity in fuel cell-related electrochemical reactions,their ever-increasing price considerably hinders their industrial application.Improvement of atom utilization efficiency is considered one of the most effective strategies to improve the mass activity of catalysts,and this allows for the use of fewer catalysts,saving greatly on the cost.Thus,single-atom catalysts(SACs)with an atom utilization efficiency of 100%have been widely developed,which show remarkable performance in fuel cells.In this review,we will describe recent progress on the development of SACs for membrane electrode assembly of fuel cell applications.First,we will introduce several effective routes for the synthesis of SACs.The reaction mechanism of the involved reactions will also be introduced as it is highly determinant of the final activity.Then,we will systematically summarize the application of Pt group metal(PGM)and nonprecious group metal(non-PGM)catalysts in membrane electrode assembly of fuel cells.This review will offer numerous experiences for developing potential industrialized fuel cell catalysts in the future.

IN VIVO MAPPING BRAIN MICROCIRCULATION BY LASER SPECKLE CONTRAST IMAGING:A MAGNETIC RESONANCE PERSPECTIVE OF THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

The fundamental limitations of most vascular-based functional neuroimaging techniques are placed by the fact how fine the brain regulates the blood supply system.In vivo mapping of the cerebral microcirculation with high resolution and sensitivity hence becomes unprecedentedly compelling.This paper reviews the theoretical background of the laser speckle contrast imaging(LSCI)technique and attempts to present a complete framework stemming from a simple biophysical model.Through the sensitivity analysis,more insights into the tool optimization are attained for in vivo applications.Open questions of the technical aspects are discussed within this unified framework.Finally,it concludes with a brief perspective of future research in a way analogous to the magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)technique.Such exploration could catalyze their development and initiate a technological fusion for precise assessment of blood flow across various spatial scales.

Disulfiram in the management of alcohol dependence: A comprehensive clinical review

Disulfiram remains a viable option as a treatment for alcohol dependence and has been shown in recent studies to be successful in treating patients with alcohol dependence in a manner that is superior to both naltrexone and acamprosate. It is also useful in dual diagnosis patients and those with co-morbid cocaine and alcohol dependence. Although disulfiram’s mechanism of action in alcohol dependence was long thought to be its effects as a psychological deterrent, more recent studies have uncovered potential anticraving effects as well. Recent reviews exhort to the importance of supervised disulfiram therapy in highlighting many of the potential and unique benefits of disulfiram. The present article will review the major clinical trials of disulfiram spanning nearly 60 years. It also discusses the usage of disulfiram across diverse populations along with monitoring for compliance and various adverse effects that may be encountered. The paper also reviews certain studies on long acting disulfiram therapy, recent comparative trials of disulfiram and its use in alcohol dependence. The review concludes with the role of disulfiram in the present day and long-term pharmacotherapy of alcohol dependence along with future research needs in this area.

Synthesis of Antimalarial Bicyclic Hemiketal Peroxides Belonging to the G-factor Family

Structural analogues of bicyclic peroxides belonging to the G factors family have been synthesised under Mannieh type conditions, followed by an autoxidation step furnishing exclusively the peroxide. As electron transfer from heine or free iron to peroxide is the first step in the mode of action ofartemisinin -like compound, Fe（fl） induced reduction was studied and the reactivity of the intermediate C-centered radical formed was correlated to the antimalarial activity. Dissociative electron transfer was studied by electrochemistry and allowed the evaluation of the standard reduction potentials and other pertinent thermochemical information. These bicyclic peroxides were evaluated in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum and revealed moderate to good activity.

Analytical solution for longitudinal deformation of shield tunnel induced by overcrossing tunnelling considering circumferential joints

This paper presents a new analytical solution for assessing the longitudinal deformation of shield tunnel associated with overcrossing tunnelling in consideration of circumferential joints.A simplified longitudinal beam-spring model(SLBSM)is established to model the longitudinal behaviours of shield tunnel,which can consider the opening and dislocation between segmental rings simultaneously.Then,the existing tunnel is treated as the SLBSM resting on the elastic foundation.The state equations including tunnel displacements and internal forces are constructed to solve the discontinuous deformation of circumferential joint-segmental ring.The feasibility of the proposed solution is verified through three well-documented cases.The predictions from the proposed method are also compared with other analytical methods.It is found that the proposed method can well capture the deformation of tunnel segmental rings and joints,where the rigid displacement mainly occurs in the segmental rings while the rotation and dislocation occur in the circumferential joints.Some dominant parameters are also analysed to explore the effects on existing tunnel deformation,including the rotation stiffness and shearing stiffness of joints,the skew angle and the clearance between new and old tunnels.

Getting physical with medical education:Exercise based virtual anatomy review classes for medical students

The benefits of regular physical activity are well known.Yet,few studies have examined the effectiveness of integrating physical activity(PA)into curricula within a post-secondary setting.To investigate the incorporation of PA into medical curriculum,we developed a series of optional exercise-based review sessions designed to reinforce musculoskeletal(MSK)anatomy course material.These synchronous sessions were co-taught by a group fitness instructor and an anatomy instructor.The fitness instructor would lead students through both strength and yoga style exercises,while the anatomy instructor asked questions about relevant anatomical structures related to course material previously covered.After the sessions,participants were asked to evaluate the classes on their self-reported exam preparedness in improving MSK anatomy knowledge,PA levels,and mental wellbeing.Thirty participants completed surveys;a majority agreed that the classes increased understanding of MSK concepts(90.0%)and activity levels(97.7%).Many(70.0%)felt that the classes helped reduce stress.The majority of respondents(90.0%)agreed that the classes contributed to increased feelings of social connectedness.Overall,medical students saw benefit in PA based interventions to supplement MSK course concepts.Along with increasing activity levels and promoting health behaviours,integrating PA into medical curriculum may improve comprehension of learning material,alleviate stress and foster social connectivity among medical students.

Fecal microbiota transplantation as novel therapy in gastroenterology:A systematic review

AIM:To study the clinical efficacy and safety of Fecal microbiota transplantation(FMT).We systematically reviewed FMT used as clinical therapy.METHODS:We searched MEDLINE,EMBASE,the Cochrane Library and Conference proceedings from inception to July,2013.Treatment effect of FMT was calculated as the percentage of patients who achieved clinical improvement per patient category,on an intention-to-treat basis.RESULTS:We included 45 studies;34 on Clostridium difficile-infection(CDI),7 on inflammatory bowel disease,1 on metabolic syndrome,1 on constipation,1 on pouchitis and 1 on irritable bowel syndrome(IBS).In CDI 90% resolution of diarrhea in 33 case series(n = 867) was reported,and 94% resolution of diarrhea after repeated FMT in a randomized controlled trial(RCT)(n = 16).In ulcerative colitis(UC) remission rates of 0% to 68% were found(n = 106).In Crohn's disease(CD)(n = 6),no benefit was observed.In IBS,70% improvement of symptoms was found(n = 13).100% Reversal of symptoms was observed in constipation(n = 3).In pouchitis,none of the patients(n = 8) achieved remission.One RCT showed significant improvement of insulin sensitivity in metabolic syndrome(n = 10).Serious adverse events were rare.CONCLUSION:FMT is highly effective in CDI,and holds promise in UC.As for CD,chronic constipation,pouchitis and IBS data are too limited to draw conclusions.FMT increases insulin sensitivity in metabolic syndrome.

Fluidized-Bed Bioreactor Applications for Biological Wastewater Treatment： A Review of Research and Developments

Wastewater treatment is a process that is vital to protecting both the environment and human health. At present, the most cost-effective way of treating wastewater is with biological treatment processes such as the activated sludge process, despite their long operating times. However, population increases have created a demand for more efficient means of wastewater treatment, Fluidization has been demonstrated to in- crease the efficiency of many processes in chemical and biochemical engineering, but it has not been widely used in large-scale wastewater treatment. At the University of Western Ontario, the circulating fluidized-bed bioreactor （CFBBR） was developed for treating wastewater. In this process, carrier particles develop a biofilm composed of bacteria and other microbes. The excellent mixing and mass transfer characteristics inherent to fluidization make this process very effective at treating both municipal and industrial wastewater. Studies of lab- and pilot-scale systems showed that the CFBBR can remove over 90% of the influent organic matter and 80% of the nitrogen, and produces less than one-third as much biological sludge as the activated sludge process. Due to its high efficiency, the CFBBR can also be used to treat wastewaters with high organic solid concentrations, which are more difficult to treat with conventional methods because they require longer residence times; the CFBBR can also be used to reduce the system size and footprint. In addition, it is much better at handling and recovering from dynamic loadings （i.e., varying influent volume and concentrations） than current systems. Overall, the CFBBR has been shown to be a very effective means of treating wastewa- ter, and to be capable of treating larger volumes of wastewater using a smaller reactor volume and a shorter residence time. In addition, its compact design holds potential for more geographically localized and isolat- ed wastewater treatment systems.

Recent Developments in the Crystallization Process： Toward the Pharmaceutical Industry

Crystallization is one of the oldest separation and purification unit operations, and has recently contributed to significant improvements in producing higher-value products with specific properties and in building efficient manufacturing processes. In this paper, we review recent developments in crystal engineering and crystallization process design and control in the pharmaceutical industry. We systematically summarize recent methods for understanding and developing new types of crystals such as co-crystals, polymorphs, and solvates, and include several milestones such as the launch of the first co-crystal drug, Entresto （No- vartis）, and the continuous manufacture of Orkambi （Vertex）. Conventional batch and continuous processes, which are becoming increasingly mature, are being coupled with various control strategies and the recently developed crystallizers are thus adapting to the needs of the pharmaceutical industry. The development of crystallization process design and control has led to the appearance of several new and innovative crystal- lizer geometries for continuous operation and improved performance. This paper also reviews major recent orogress in the area of process analytical technology.

Optimization of Ultrasonic-Assisted Extraction Process of Polysaccharides from American Ginseng and Evaluation of Its Immunostimulating Activity

Ultrasonic-assisted extraction （UAE） of American ginseng polysaccharides （AGP） was investigated using response surface methodology. Three-factor-three-level Box-Behnken design was employed to optimize the ultrasonic power, extraction time and ratio of water to raw material to obtain a high AGP yield. The analysis of variance and response surface plots indicated that ultrasonic power was the most important factor affecting the extraction yield. The optimal conditions were ultrasonic power 400 W, extraction time 71 min, and ratio of water to raw material 33 mL g-1. Under these conditions, the yield of AGP was 8.09%, which was agreed closely to the predicted value. Gas chromatography （GC） analysis showed that AGP was composed of arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, glucose, and galacturonic acid. Fourier transform infrared spectra revealed the general characteristic absorption peaks of AGP. In addition, AGP exhibited good immunostimulating activities by up-regulating the production of nitric oxide and cytokines. Compared with hot water extraction, UAE required shorter extraction time and gave a higher extraction yield, without changing the structure and immunostimulating activity of AGP. The results indicated that UAE could be an effective and advisable technique for the large scale production of plant polysaccharides.